MBSS Site Summary for: UELK-308-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UELK-308-R-2003-0988 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UELK-308-R-2003-0989 (Opens in a new window)

Located on BIG ELK CR in the Upper Elk River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130603.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/8/2003 and again in the summer on 8/19/2003.

Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) Results:

An Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) is a scientific tool used to identify and classify stream health. An IBI associates anthropogenic influences on a stream or with biological condition in the stream, and is formulated using data developed from biosurveys.
Details on the development and application of MBSS IBIs are in this document.
Fish IBI Good - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 37,378 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 5 %
Agricultural Land Use 47 %
Forested Land Use 24 %


Stream showing woody debris, logs, and rocky substrate.
An example of woody debris in a stream.

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 62 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 20 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.66
Conductivity 189 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		410.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.4 mg/L

Biological Stream Condition:

Surveys of the organisms living within a stream can give indications of stream health. Species richness, or the number of different species present, as well as indicator species (species whose presence, absence or abundance can serve as a measure of environmental conditions) are informative for stream health. 		Close-up of a mayfly indicator species.

Fish Survey Results:
The following 26 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
American Eel 119
Satinfin Shiner 115
Swallowtail Shiner 102
Tessellated Darter 93
Redbreast Sunfish 57
Sea Lamprey 42
Smallmouth Bass 25
Bluegill 23
Pumpkinseed 23
Spottail Shiner 18
Blue Ridge Sculpin 15
White Sucker 15
Margined Madtom 13
Spotfin Shiner 12
Blueback Herring 10
Common Shiner 8
Creek Chub 5
Alewife 4
Banded Killifish 4
Largemouth Bass 2
Least Brook Lamprey 2
Black Crappie 1
Green Sunfish 1
Lepomis Hybrid 1
Redfin Pickerel 1
Striped Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern American Toad
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Knotweed
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Gammarus Amphipod 33
Hydrobaenus Midge 16
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 10
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 8
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 4
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 3
Naididae Aquatic Worm 3
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 3
Tipula Crane Fly 2
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 2
Caenis Mayfly 2
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Dineutus Whirlygig Beetle 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Promoresia Riffle Beetle 1
Hydrochus 1
Chironominae Non-Biting Midge 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Ephemeroptera Mayfly 1
Serratella Mayfly 1
Kick net sampling for macroinvertebrates.
Sampling with a kick net.

Information disclaimer: The information and data on this page is for guidance and general planning purposes only. It should not be used to make decisions on specific matters.